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Pumpkin Growing Methods

Pumpkin growing methods for 2016 and 2017.

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Updated:

March 23, 2023

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Photo: Bill Lamont, Penn State (retired)

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Site and Production system

Seeding date

Row spacing (center-to-center) (feet)

In-row spacing (feet)

Irrigation

Fertility

Harvest dates

Western:
Raised beds, bare ground

6/25/2016

6/20/2017

2016: drip irrigation system used during germination

2017: not used

2016: when
beds were
formed,
70 lb/acre N,
34 lb/acre P₂O₅, and 65 lb/acre
K₂O applied;

2017: 60 lb/acre N, 78 lb/acre P₂O₅,
78 lb/acre K₂O

10/8/2016

10/10–
10/13/2017

Central:
Plasticulture

6/13/2016

6/22/2017

Drip irrigation system; applied 1 acre-inch of water weekly

2016: 50 lb/acre N, 60 lb/acre K₂O applied preplant,
no P₂O₅ applied based on soil test results;
25 lb/acre N fertigated over growing season;

2017: 50 lb/acre
N applied, 149 lb/acre P₂O₅ applied preplant, no K₂O applied based on soil test results; 25 lb/acre N fertigated over growing season

9/29/2016

10/5/2017

Southeastern:
No-till, winter rye residue

6/7/2016

6/8/2017

Drip irrigation system; applied 1 acre-inch of water weekly

90 lb/acre N
with 50 lb/acre broadcast preplant and remainder fertigated throughout growing season; P₂O₅ and K₂O not applied based on soil test reports

10/14/2016

10/11–
10/16/2017

At all sites, we used a plasticulture system with a single line of drip tape on each raised row covered with black plastic mulch. All sites had silt loam soils. We managed diseases and insect pests locally using recommendations from the Mid-Atlantic Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendations guide. Pumpkins were hand harvested and were categorized as fully orange, turning orange, mature green (full-sized and dark green), and unmarketable at the western and central sites. Harvest occurred when all fruit were fully orange (no fruit were turning orange) at the southeastern site.

Reference: Yield and Handle Quality of Twenty-One Pumpkin Varieties.

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